El Capitan is a vertical rock formation near the western end of the north side of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park.  It is an imposing granite monolith extending about 900 metres from base to summit along its tallest face, and is a favourite challenge for rock climbers from around the world.

All very impressive.  But for a brief window of time each February, if the conditions are perfect, something happens which elevates El Capitan from impressive to supernaturally awesome.

That phenomenon is the firefall.

The firefall appears to be a cascading waterfall of fire running down the face of El Capitan like the earth opened a vein and started bleeding its vital inner essence onto the rocks below.  In reality the firefall is a perfect, serendipitous, magical alignment of environmental conditions which only occur a few weeks a year and only for a few minutes a day during that time.

At and around sunset during the last couple of weeks of February and if the conditions are just right the rays of the setting sun, burning orange, catch the water of the horsetail falls streaming down the face of El Capitan. The reflected sunlight illuminates the falls for a few brief minutes with the sun’s intense orange light resulting in the illusion of a cascading river of  fire pouring down the cliff face. Those who have witnessed the firefall describe it with almost mystical reverence.

This is an experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list and is a natural phenomenon which is Seriously Cool!

It is a classic album by any measure of that term with tracks such as Russians, We Work the Black Seam Together and If You Love Somebody Set Them Free.  But as good as all of those tracks are the stand out track on the album in my opinion is There’s a Moon Over Bourbon Street Tonight.

The song is said to be inspired by Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire which was given to Sting by fellow Police band member Andy Summers.

Sting’s unique vocal performance lends the song a dark moody quality befitting of the subject matter and evokes the swirling damp mists of the Louisiana night.  For anyone familiar with the Anne Rice Vampire Chronicles the song, its styling and its moody delivery by the sublime Mr Sumner brings the books and their backdrop to dark brooding and menacing life (or should that be un-life?)

Sting’s classic 1985 album The Dream of the Blue Turtles and There’s a Moon Over Bourbon Street Tonight are true classics and are Seriously Cool!

Even though their lineup changed after the Young Ones episode with Captain Sensible leaving the band after playing a final concert and being replaced by Roman Jugg who had previously been a part-time keyboard player for the band, The Damned soon after realised their greatest commercial and chart success with a cover of the 1968 Barry Ryan hit ‘Eloise‘.  The song was a sensation and peaked at #3 on the UK charts in 1986.

For me, even though it is not a The Damned original Eloise is the song with which the band is most strongly associated and having received ‘The Damned‘ treatment Eloise does not fail to impress. It is an absolute ripper.

The Damned have enjoyed incredible longevity and are basically the band who defined the Goth/Pop genre.  Since 1976 the band has seen many lineup changes and still continues to tour.  Most recently they have supported Motorhead ont he UK leg of their world tour.  35 years on The Damned are still delivering their moody blend of Pop and Rock.

The Damned have been Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible, Stu West, Monty Oxy Moron, Pinch, Brian James, Rat Scabies, Lu Edmunds, Algy Ward, Paul Gray, Roman Jugg, Bryn Merrick, Kris Dollimore, Alan Lee Shaw, Moose Harris, Patricia Morrison, Jon Moss and Lemmy.

As much as they would detest the term The Damned are seriously cool and their rendition of Eloise is similarly seriously cool.

The song features lyrics referring to Bow River as the place to which the hard working character from whose point of view the song is written intends to escape his life of hard toil and subservience to ‘the man‘.

Typical of many Cold Chisel songs this work extolls the Australian values of hard work, hard play and getting out from under the yoke of ‘the man‘ and getting on the road and back to your roots.

Listen now to the wind babe

Listen now to the rain

Feel that water lickin’ at my feet again

I don’t wanna see this town no more

Wastin’ my days on a factory floor

First thing you know I’ll be back in Bow River again

Historically the managers of Bow River Station, located nearby have held this song a tribute to their station. The song has made the river and surrounding area famous.

The song first appeared on Cold Chisel’s 1981 album Circus Animals and has subsequently been individually recorded by Cold Chisel former band members Ian Moss and Jimmy Barnes.

The song communicates through an iconic Australian band the authentic Australian existential struggle where freedom to be is the ultimate prize.

This is a seriously cool song by a seriously cool band and speaks to us all because on some level we are all looking to get back to our own Bow River again!

Hi folks

A lot of kids have been asking where they can a get consumer & household type turntables. Also, A lot of kids are asking if Mighty Fleiss Radio (The Fleiss 7″ 45′s) r available in stores, so, all answer each request for information in turn

Technics turntable

A great resource for stereo systems, headphones, consumer electronics, & the like is the Panasonic online store

I’ve set links for a few killer Technics turntables that should plug straight into your stereo. Panasonic also have special Technics turntables for DJ’s whose controls are a little different. If you want a turntable for your house you’ll probably need the regular buttons, normal knobs, & dust cover

Technics turntable SL-1200MK2PK

They are only available from MightyFleissRadio.com & can be ordered by Paypal (which takes Visa, debit, credit etc)

But Guess wot! It’s Christmas is JulyZY! Cause when u buy ”Fat Noble Kings Eat Buffalo Wings” a 4 song indie acoustic e.p on double 7″ by The Fleiss, i’ll ship my first single “I’ve Disappeared” with your order free

To sweeten the deal, a crisp ten dollar bill sent via Paypal will cover the stamps from the United States Postal Service, & i’ll pay the tax

To compare this deal to our regular pricing, or find out which songs are on the records, click here

This offer is valid in the US only. Guess Santa thinks your nice

Don’t forget, if you need a turntable, cool Technics models in the Panasonic store r ready 2 ship

Regards,
Glen ugly Naughty (GuN)

Dominoes Everywhere from Jared Lyon on Vimeo.